Motorcycles have sequential gearboxes, in which the gears are in the following sequence: 1st gear, neutral, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear, etc. from bottom to top or, in some cases, in reverse sequence from top to bottom. Coupled to the gearbox is a conventional peg shifter operated by a foot of an operator of the motorcycle. When the peg is pulled up by the operator, the gear box shifts to a higher gear. When the peg is pushed down by the operator, the gear box shifts to a lower gear.
Operation of the peg shifter requires the conductor of the motorcycle to constantly change the position of his foot from below to above the shifting peg, and vice versa, to respectively shift the gears up and down. Such movement requires adequate ankle articulation and training to control the shifting peg properly. The motorcycle having the conventional shifting peg is limited in its form, design, and function, as it requires the operator to adapt his body to the machine. The machine is not adjustable to ergonomically adapt to the body, position, size and capabilities of said conductor. The inconvenience of shifting a traditional shifter slows shifting and can make a difference in a racing environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,896 (hereinafter “the '896 patent”) is directed to a foot-actuated gearshift assembly for a motorcycle. The '896 patent describes several embodiments of the gearshift assembly. Each embodiment includes a foot pedal and a toe pedal. In one embodiment, these pedals are rigidly mounted to a unitary shift lever. The foot pedal is connected to the body of the unitary shift lever, and the toe pedal is connected to a support leg 21 integrally formed with the unitary shift lever and extending from the body of the unitary shift lever. In another embodiment, the toe pedal is connected to a movable support leg through a clamp and set screw. The movable support leg is movable relative to the body of the shift lever and adjustable in position with respect thereto. Loosening the setscrew allows the toe pedal to be moved relative to the shift lever. Tightening it locks the toe pedal's position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,263 (hereinafter “the '263 patent”) is directed to an adjustable stirrup type motorcycle shifter. The shifter includes a crank member extending lengthwise along the motorcycle. At the forward end of the crank member extends a leg extending approximately perpendicularly therefrom. The leg forms the equivalent of a toe shifting peg. At the bottom of the crank member there is formed a slot in which a foot shifting peg is disposed. The foot shifting peg is movable relative to the crank member within the slot. A nut is used to tighten the peg to lock its position. The position of the toe shifting peg is not adjustable.
The '896 and '263 patent disclose gearshift assemblies have limited adjustability. The '896 patent describes a gearshift assembly in which the toe pedal is adjustable, but the foot pedal is not. The '263 patent discloses a gearshift assembly in which the foot peg is adjustable but the lever (toe peg) is not. Furthermore, although the '263 patent provides for adjusting the distance between the leg and the foot peg, it does so at the expense of changing the distance between the foot peg and the resting foot peg. The result is that solving one problem (the distance between the lever and foot peg) creates another one (the distance between the foot peg and the resting foot peg).